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Comment by rsync | Hacker News Reader

I appreciate the link and summary for McMaster-Carr[1].

It is so pleasing to use this site and it is simultaneously full of utility as they stock a wide array of fixtures and hardware that are difficult to search for elsewhere.

If you place an order before noon (typically) the box of goods will be in your hands the next day.

The user interface is a wonder. It's too good to be true. In fact, using the UI actually saddens me because you know some kid who thinks they are a design genius is going to get hired there and "improve things". It's almost a physical law.

[1] https://www.mcmaster.com/

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McMaster's website loads so quickly I looked into what server they're using, because it seems so much better than whatever everyone else has.

Apparently it is an ASP.NET app, served by IIS, cached on Akamai's CDN. Not quite what you're going to see on your average HN blog post.

works tho

The results are indeed good. Makes you wonder how much we're really getting from the newer technology -- people have much better tools available, but use them to make a much worse user experience. (The data point we're missing is what McMaster would look like if they used newer tools, however. It might be even better, if such a thing is even possible.)

And you can find stuff like "Nuclear Grade Duct Tape": https://www.mcmaster.com/fastening-tape/nuclear-grade-duct-t...

My curiosity would not let me pass this up. I had to find out what requirements specifically made it nuclear grade, and apparently it is certified to lack chlorides so it won't chloride-corrode (no word on galvanic corrosion) whatever it is slapped onto [1].

[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/shutupandtakemymoney/comments/15jwv...

I bought some socks from McMaster and they are pretty nice.

I’m not surprised to see you evangelizing McMaster - mentally, I bin you and them in the same category of “no bullshit” suppliers. Products for competent people, by competent people, when most suppliers seem to be targeting the lowest common denominator of consumer.

That's a very nice compliment. Thanks!

Some electronics vendors have figured it out too. A Parametric search first approach means I can find exactly what I need.

Will I ever find the rs-232 transceiver that I need on Amazon? Unlikely.

To me, McMaster-Carr is the best website in existence.

The clarity of information presentation is unparalleled.

100%. I've been thinking about writing an article about McMaster-Carr's design and user experience. I've been using it for 10+ years. It's so much deeper than the web design - the moment you place an order, their return process, obtaining technical specs, datasheets and alternate unit system measurement, the entire experience of shopping on McMaster-Carr. Furthermore, their physical catalog design is also exceptional - from typography to layout, it's the pinnacle of what good design is and exemplifies what's wrong with everything today.

I just fear one day some new intern, engineer, designer or manager is going to join and ruin it. It will be a sad day.

I've kind of noticed this in general with MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations/Overahaul) organization suppliers in general, and any site that caters to procurement organizations or frequent repeat direct buyers. They tend to be very no-nonsense and streamlined, and very pleasant to work with. This might just be a cultural bias on my part, thought.

Interestingly, Far Eastern sites I've seen, even MRO and procurement-oriented sites, but especially consumer-facing sites, tend to be extremely information-dense. To my Western site-accustomed sensibilities, they feel "too busy", but after awhile I understood the aesthetic (calligraphic script languages tend to have a higher information throughput per unit area than alphabet-script languages, and this seems to bleed over into aesthetics as well).

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